7 of our top opinion columns this week: ICYMI
From the cracks in Donald Trump's impeachment blockade to a Medicare for All pitch to the G-7 at Doral, here are some of our top columns of the week.
In today's fast-paced news environment, it can be hard to keep up. For your weekend reading, we've started in-case-you-missed-it compilations of some of the week's top Paste BN Opinion pieces. As always, thanks for reading, and for your feedback.
1. Stop fearmongering about 'Medicare for All.' Most families would pay less for better care.
By Donald M. Berwick
"America desperately needs an honest health policy discussion. That’s why it has been so disappointing over the past several weeks to watch multiple candidates parrot right-wing attacks on "Medicare for All," like claiming that it will greatly increase spending on health care or ringing alarms about raising taxes on the middle class."
2. Judge Judy: America is fractured, but Michael Bloomberg's no-nonsense approach can help us heal
By Judy Sheindlin
"We need a no-nonsense president who’s sane, competent and honest, someone who can’t be bought and has no skin in the game. As he showed during 12 years as mayor in New York City Hall, Michael Bloomberg fits the bill. ... Most important, he’s the only person out there who seems to understand that screaming at one another gets us nowhere."
3. Trump is shooting holes in the Constitution. Will Republicans let him get away with it?
By Chris Truax
"To grasp their final chance at redemption, congressional Republicans need not necessarily conclude that Trump must be impeached and removed from office. But they do need to stop considering their short-term political interests and start considering the country’s long-term interests. Allowing a president to abuse his office for political and personal gain cannot be tolerated."
4. In the hands of police, facial recognition software risks violating civil liberties
By Jimmy Gomez and Lisa Rosenberg
"California temporarily banned the use of facial-recognition technology in body cameras used by law enforcement — one of the first states to do so. ... Limited information about how it’s being used by law enforcement, and a disturbing lack of transparency and accountability from the very companies that develop and sell it, mean we need to consider its dangers, including its proven racial and gender bias."
5. President Donald Trump, your stonewall to the impeachment inquiry is cracking
By The Editorial Board
"Americans can read the witnesses' résumés and their records of nonpartisan service and judge for themselves who is abusing their power. ... In the end, Americans will have been well served by the rank and file of government — from a whistleblower who saw something wrong and reported it, to current and former officials willing to testify about what they witnessed. It's the best pathway to truth and accountability."
6. Don't praise Trump for reversing G-7 Doral debacle. It was an intolerable abuse of power.
By Noah Bookbinder
"The president should not get any credit for backing down. The selection of his property for a key international conference was an intolerable abuse. ... Bowing to the reality that this abuse would not be tolerated is hardly praiseworthy. You don’t get credit for doing the right thing only after being shamed for doing the wrong thing."
7. Trump voters feel betrayed and want a leader to take USA back from the rich and powerful
By Joseph Geevarghese
"If we want to win back voters in Ohio and Michigan, we need to inspire them with a transformational vision of change, and not incrementalism that they’ll again reject as inadequate in this moment of growing inequality. ... There is one presidential candidate who has shown up and stood up as a champion on all these issues. We believe that candidate is Bernie Sanders.'